Electroprocessing machine



April 2, 1940. G. TODD ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1938 '7Shets-Sheet 1 -April 2, 1940. G, TODD y2,196,132

ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2l, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 f7: zreritor- GUER//v 7Z7DD April 2, 1940. G. TODD ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINEFiled Jan. 21, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 s. W D w t D m N uw i 1 fm W A....L.LLL+ N I| @u n xm. Nn w. .wb \v n mNN\ m )u A QE, w m, W Q N. -l ll l I I I I l I mM April 2, 1940. G. TODD 2,196,132

ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 21, 1938 7 shets-sheet 4 April 2,1940.l G. TODD ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1938 7Sheets-SheeI 5 NNN NN April 2, 1940. G. TODD 2,196,132

ELECTROPROCESSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 19,38 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 2,1940. TQDD 2,196,132

ELECTROPROCE'SSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 seyfsELfcT/a/c H20 V Hao MAQ/NG CLEA/vn? D/P Ac/D /P @LY-...b #MJ Attorneys'carriers with the means Patented Apr. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ELECTROPROCESSIN G MACHINE Application January 21, 193s, serialNo. 186,191

18 Claims.

My invention relates to electroprocessing machines.

It is the object of my invention to provide an electroprocessing machinein 'which work pieces are transported, step by step, horizontallythrough treating solutions, and at intervals, groups of work pieces aresuccessively elevated from the solution, transported horizontally abovethe solution and then lowered into another solution in an adjacent tank.

'I'he particular object of the present invention is to provide a fullautomatic electroprocessing machine in which there is a common elevatorfor elevating the groups of work pieces supported on carrier arms andfor transporting them horizontallyfrom over one tank to a position overanother tank and then lowering them into the second tank.

It is an object to provide means for counterbalancing such an elevatingmeans in order to reduce the expenditure of power for this transferpurpose.

It is a further object of this inventior to provide means ofsynchronously driving the means for causing the horizontal movement ofthe work for raising and lowering the work carriers.

It is an object to provide such a counterbalancing means that permitsthe horizontal movement of the work carriers irrespective of theelevator as positioned to those carriers in their upper or lowerpositions.

It is an object of this counterbalancing means to yieldingly bring torest the work piece carriers as they arrive at their destinations ateither the upper or lower part of their movements.

' It is an object to provide such a machine in which upper and lowertransversely moving chains are connected by pairs-of tracks or guiderods upon which the carriers reciprocate; and providing in such acombination a horizontally disposed common elevator attached to liftcertain of the carriers and lower others in timed sequence with thehorizontal moving means.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of the machine embodying thisinvention with a processing tank in section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the counterbalancing mechanism shown ontop of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modied form of elevatoractuating mechanism and counterbalancing mechanism;

port is at the bottom of standard I.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 oi Figure 4 showing in detail theconnection between the;l actuating chain, its pin and the elevator sloFigure 6 is a section on ure 4;

Figure 7 is a section on ure 4; y

Figure 8 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 showing a modiiied formof elevating and counterbalancing mechanism;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig-ure 10 is a section on the line III-I0 of Figure 8 looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure i1 is a section on the line II-II oi' Figures l, 4 and 8 lookingin the direction of the arrows;

Figure 12 is a section on the line I2-I2 of Figures 1, 4 and 8 lookingin the direction of the arrows and showing the arrangement of the guidetrack elevator and rollers thereon;

Figure 13 is a diagram of -a typical plating the une e-s of Figthe line'I--1 of Figcycle;

Figure 14 is a section through the elevator ram and partially throughthe carrier block showing the latching mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I and 2 representa series ofvertically disposed standards having transverse bottom members 9 uponwhich are mounted the tanks Il and 5. On the standard I is mounted asupport 6. This sup- Mounted upon the standard 6 in the bearing? is adriveshaft 8 journalled at its top in the frame 9 which supports themotor Ill that drives through the gear box II. It drives the shaft I2.The shaft 8 is driven by the motor 63 through the gear box 66; disk I3,which has a pin Ill that engages with the slots I5 of the Geneva gearI6. The vshaft 8 is provided with an upper sprocket Il and a lowersprocket i8, respectively, driving the chains I9 and 2li. 'I'he upperchain I9 is guided between the rails 2i and 22 carried on the horizontalplatform or plate 23, mounted on top of the standards I, 2, et cetera.The chain I9 is provided with a series of heads 24, in which are mountedthe guide rods or tracks 25. Upon these tracks travel the carrier armheads 26,

which are provided with the rollers 21 and 28. 50

'Ihe bottom of the rods 25 are mounted in heads 29, carried upon thelower chain 20, which is guided by the rails 30 and 3l. These rails aremounted upon the lower platform 32, which is carried upon the standardsI and 2. -This platform is further supported by the braces 53. Thebrackets 34 carry the contact rails 35 upon which ride the springpressed shoes 36 that are mounted upon the carrier arms 31. These shoesare connected to the work piece carriers 38 by the cable 39.

The elevators 40 are guided in their vertical movement with respect tothe standards 2, et cetera, by the rollers 4|, which operate between thetracks 42,.

The drive shaft I2 operates the elevators as follows. The beveled gears43 and 44 rotate the shaft 45.

Mounted on the shaft 45 is a series of drums |00 on which are wound andunwound cables |02. These cables are connected at |03 to the elevators40. The elevators are connected at spaced points |04 and |05 to cables|06 and |01, which are in turn connected to helical springs |08, thatare anchored on the frame members 23 at 09. These are thecounterbalancing springs. Therefore, all that is necessary for theactuating motor to do is to unbalance the elevating system with its loadof carriers in order to get the advantage of the springs |09, which notonly act as counterbalancing springs, but which provide a yieldingmedium which facilitates the operation of picking up and lowering thecarriers. It will be understood that one of the problems in transportingand transferring carrier arms with heavy loads of work pieces mounted onthe swinging racks is to prevent detachment of the work pieces andcarriers during transfer and during the operations of picking up andsitting down on the chains.

Referring to Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, in this form the elevator 40 iscounterbalanced by the weights ||0, which are connected by cables oversheaves ||2 to the elevator at H3. The actuation of the elevator isthrough the shaft 45, gears 46, worm wheels 41 on the shafts 48 and thesprockets 49 on the shafts 48. The chains 50 travel around the sprockets5|. On the sprockets are mounted the chains 50 cooperating with the pins52, which work within the Slots 53a in the elevator 40. As the chain isactuated, the pins 52 reciprocate in the slots 53a. In this manner theelevator is raised and lowered, and is also permitted to dwell at theend of each movement during the necessary lateral shifting of the chainsand carriers.

Referring to the modification in Figures 8, 9'

and l0, in this form the driving shaft 45 is provided with beveledpinions 3, which engage with beveled gears ||4 on the screw shafts H5,which work in the blocks ||6 on the elevators 40. Connected to theelevators are the piston rods ||1 having pistons I|8 working incylinders |I9. These cylinders are connected by pipes |20 to a pressuresource, such as an accumulator 2| having a weight |22 therein. As theelevator is raised and lowered it is counterbalanced in its movements bythis pneumatic or hydraulic system of counterbalancing. There are aseries of these cylinders H9, which are interconnected in a commonpneumatic or hydraulic circuit, so that they are so interconnected as tobe uniform in their action. Under some circumstances, the mechanicallifting and lowering screws can be omitted, and the raising and loweringtakes place pneumatically or hydraulically.

It is possible that this counterbalancing mechanism can counterbalancethe springs, weights, or pneumatic or hydraulic controls. These severalcontrols have their respective advantages.

When the carrier block 29 reaches its uppermost position, its latch 54has its hook 55 pushed over the stationary hook 51 to hold the arm inits upper position. When the elevator arrives for the purpose oflowering this arm, the shoulder 58 thereon engages the roller 59 andmoves the block 28 upwardly and at the same time, the arm 55 has itsroller 56a engaged by the unlocking head 60 on the elevator 40 tounlatch the hook 55 from the hook 51. As the hook is held out ofposition for l:cking by the uniatching member 60, the elevator candescend and take the block 26 with the arm 21 with it.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditionsand uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a processing machine for conveying work pieces through treatingsolutions having a plurality of successive treatment tanks through whichthe work pieces are conveyed,-a plurality of successively arranged workcarriers, means for moving said carriers horizontally, elevator meansfor raising and lowering certain of said carriers as they are movedtherealong, means for yieldably counterbalancing said elevator and thecarriers transported thereby, and means for intermittently moving saidhorizontally moving means in timed relationship with the verticalmovement of said elevator.

2. In an electroprocessing machine having a plurality of successivetanks and successive carriers, means comprising spaced conveyor chainsadapted to move said carriers vhorizontally in predetermined spacedrelationship with respect to one another, means connecting said chainsfor guiding said carriers vertically from one chain to the other, meansassociated with said guiding means and carriers for elevating certain ofsaid carriers when moving in one direction, and lowering other of saidcarriers when moving in the other direction, and counterbalancing meansfor counterbalancing and regulating the movement of said carriers fromone chain to the other.

3. In a processing machine having a plurality of successive tanks andsuccessive carriers, means comprising spaced conveyor chains adapted tomove said carriers horizontally in predetermined spaced relationshipwith respect to one another, means connecting said chains for guidingsaid carriers vertically from one chain to the other, means associatedwith said guiding means and carriers for elevating certain of saidcarriers when moving in one direction, and lowering other of saidcarriers when moving in the other direction, and counterbalancing meansfor counterbalancing and regulating the movement of said carriers fromone chain to the other, and means for intermittently moving said chainsbetween the vertical movements of said carriers.

4. In a processing machine for conveying work pieces in contact withtreating solutions having a plurality of successively arranged tanks andcarriers, means for moving said carriers horizontally, means for pickingup certain of said carriers and moving them vertically at spacedintervals therealong, and counterbalancing means associated with thelast mentioned means for yieldingly bringing said carriers to rest attheir different stations as they are conveyed along.

5. In an electroprocessing machine having a plurality of successivelyarranged tanks and carlll riers i'or positioning in. and auto! saidltanks, means for moving said carriers horizontally, means for movingsaid carriers vertically at spaced intervals therealong,counterbalancing means associated with the last mentioned means andarranged to yieldingly bring said carriers to rest at their diiierentstations as they are moved along from one tank to another, saidcounterbalancing means comprising spring means interposed between theelectroprocessing machine frame and the carrier vertically moving means,and means operatively connected to the horizontally moving member andthe vertically moving member so that there is intermittent movement ofsaid horizontally moving member between the vertical movements of saidcarriers.

6. In a processing machine for conveying work pieces in contact withtreating solutions comprising a plurality of successively arranged tanksand carriers which are adapted to be moved in and out of said tanks,means for moving said carriers horizontally, means comprising atransversely arranged elevating bar to guide and move said carriersvertically at intervals therealong, and counterbalancing meansassociated with the last' mentioned means comprising yielding memberswhich are interposed between the processing machine frame and theelevating bar member, said counterbalancing means comprising springsarranged horizontally, the ends of said springs being connectedrespectively to the elevating bar means and to said processing machine.

'7. In a processing machine for conveying work pieces in contact withtreating solutions having a succession of treatment tanks and aplurality of successive carrier arms supporting work piece carriers,means comprising an endless moving member with fixed carrier guidespositioned thereon at predetermined spaced intervals for moving saidarms horizontally as a unit intermittently, means comprising atransverse elevating member to raise a portion of said arms verticallyand to lower another portion thereof vertically, actuating means forsaid vertically moving means and oounterbalancing weights associatedtherewith to yieldingly bring said carriers to rest at their differentstations as they are conveyed along.

8. In an electroprocessing machine, a horizontal conveyor means, aplurality of spaced arms supporting carriers mounted thereon, means onsaid conveyor means for guiding said arms vertically, means tomechanically move a portion of said arms vertically, said meanscomprising continuously operating moving means slidably engaging withsaidv vertically moving means for the carrier arms and counterbalancingmeans associated therewith.

9. In an electroprocessing machine, a plurality of spaced carrier arms,means to transport said arms horizontally, means to guide said armsvertically without lateral misplacement on the horizontal transportingmeans, means to drive said transporting means intermittently, acontinuously operating means for moving said carrier arms verticallycomprising `spaced chains, an elevator slidably connected to said chainsand adapted to engage portions of said arms, counterbalancing means forsaid elevator, means to latch a portion Aof said arms in their uppermostposition from which they are unlatched and lowered by said elevator.

i0. In an electroprocessing machine, means for transporting carrier armshorizontally, an elevator for moving some of said arms verticallycomprising :a transversely arranged elevating bar having slots thereinand means to actuate said bar comprising vertically arranged chain loopshaving pins thereon operating in said slots.

11. In an electroprocessing machine, means for transporting carrier armshorizontally, an elevator for moving some of said arms verticallycomprising a transversely arranged elevating bar having slots thereinand means to actuate said bar comprising vertically arranged chain loopshaving pins thereon operating in said slots, and counterbalancing meansassociated with said elevator bar.

12. In an electroprocessing machine, a plurality of work piece carrierarms, means comprising an endless conveyor for moving said armshorizontally in predetermined spaced relationship, means for guidingsaid arms in vertical movements, an elevatorcomprising an elongated bar,the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinalv axis of the vendlessconveyor means, said elevator being adapted to raise and lower certainof said arms as they are moved alongthe endless conveyor, power meansfor raising and lowering said elevator, and hydraulic means associatedtherewith for counterbalancing the weight of said elevator and workpiece carrier load so as to yieldingly regulate the movement of saidelevator and carriers.

13. In an electroprocessing machine, a frame, a horizontal elevator barguided by said frame adapted to be raised and lowered intermittently,means comprising endless chains for conveying work piece carriershorizontally along,

a hydraulic counterbalancing mechanism comprising pistons andcylindersassociated with Y said elevator bar. means to mechanically elevate andlower said elevator bar, means to guide carrier arms adjacent to saidbar so as to be raised andV lowered thereby, means to `hold said arms intheir uppermost position, means associated with said elevator bar fordetaching said arms from their uppermost position to lower them andmeans of moving said arms as a unit horizontally intermittently and whensaid Velevator bar is in its uppermost raised position.

14. In combination, means for vertically guiding carrier arms, means formoving said carrier arms horizontally as a unit, an elevator forelevating certain of said arms and lowering others, screw operated meansfor regulating the movements of said elevator, and hydraulicallyoperated means for counterbalancing said elevator and said arms.

15. In an electroprocessing machine, a vertically disposed frame work,tanks parallel thereto, a pair of horizontally disposed spaced chains,means of intermittently driving said chains together, carrier guide rodsinterconnecting said chains at spaced intervals, carrier arms mountedthereon, means to latch said arms at the top of said guides, means tocomprise an elevator for elevating portions of said arms and loweringother portions after unlatching them from their upper position, andmeans carried on said frame connected to said elevator forcounterbalancing said elevator and its load of' arms.

16. In an electroprocessing machine, a vertically disposed frame work,tanks parallel thereto, a pair of horizontally disposed spaced chains,means for intermittently driving said chains together, carrier guiderods interconnecting said chains at spaced intervals, carrier armsmounted thereon, means to latch said arms at the top of said guides,means to comprise an elevator for for raisins and. lowering saidelevator compriselevating portions of said arms and lowering other ins amotor driven set of sheaves and cables portions after unlatching themfrom their upper wound thereon connected to their tree ends to saidposition, means carried on said frame connected elevator. to saidelevator for counterbalancinz said elevaf GUERIN TODD. 5 tor and itsload of arms. said mechanical means

